Failing to score with the bases loaded and nobody out in the first inning sent the West Potomac softball team down a path of frustration in its Patriot District opener against South County on March 25. A missed sign in the third inning was too much for the Wolverines to overcome.
South County’s Julia Kastner broke a scoreless tie with a two-run home run in the third inning and the Stallions pulled away for a 10-0, six-inning victory at WPHS. Wolverines head coach Craig Maniglia said Kastner was supposed to see a curveball on the outside part of the plate, but instead she saw a screwball on the inner half and drove it out of the ball park.
"I saw the pitch," Maniglia said, "I saw [the catcher] set up and I went to scream timeout but it was too late."
West Potomac’s problems started in the first inning, when the Wolverines loaded the bases with nobody out and failed to score against South County pitcher Kyra Ketch. West Potomac also came up empty during a bases-loaded opportunity in the fourth.
"It just comes down to making a hit when you’ve got the players in position to score," Maniglia said. "We let that game slip away in the very first inning with bases loaded and no outs and we couldn’t get anything out of [our] 4-5-6 [batters]."
While West Potomac struggled against South County, Maniglia still expects big things from a Wolverines team that has several experienced travel ball players.
Team captain Morgan Maniglia returns as the team’s No. 1 pitcher and one of its top hitters. While the junior had a rough outing against the Stallions, she’s confident the Wolverines can turn it around.
"I think we’re going to be a really good team," she said "and we’re definitely going to learn from this."
Junior catcher Jasmine Picini and senior center fielder Sara Link are also team captains. Junior right fielder Danielle McHugh will also be a key contributor for West Potomac.
The Wolverines bounced back from the loss to beat Annandale 3-1 on March 29. West Potomac will travel to face Lee at 6:30 p.m. on April 1.
— Jon Roetman
<b>West Potomac Baseball Drops Two Straight</b>
The West Potomac baseball team started the season 3-0, outscoring its opponents 49-9. Since then, the Wolverines have lost two in a row, falling to South County 15-4 on March 28 and Annandale 10-0 on March 29. West Potomac will travel to face Lee at 6:30 p.m. on April 1.
<b>West Potomac Girls Snap Win Streak</b>
The West Potomac girls soccer team had its three-game win streak snapped with a 4-2 loss to South County on March 28. Prior to the loss, the Wolverines defeated Mount Vernon (1-0), Edison (3-0) and Fall Church (2-1). West Potomac will host Annandale at 7 p.m. on April 5.
<b>West Potomac Boys Drop Another One-Goal Decision</b>
The West Potomac boys soccer team to South County 5-4 on March 28. The defeat followed a 2-1 loss to Falls Church on March 22. The Wolverines earned their first win of the season against Edison on March 18, beating the Eagles 1-0 in overtime.
West Potomac will travel to face Lee at 7 p.m. on April 5.
<b>West Potomac Girls Lacrosse Starts 3-2</b>
The West Potomac girls lacrosse team defeated Hayfield 13-5 on March 29, one day after a 14-5 win over George Mason. The Wolverines also defeated Lee (13-2) while losing to Yorktown (14-6) and Lake Braddock (12-5). West Potomac will host Woodson at 7:15 p.m. on March 31.
<b>West Potomac Boys Lacrosse Wins 2 of 3</b>
The West Potomac boys lacrosse team opened the season with wins against Archbishop Carroll (11-0) and Saint Vincent Pallotti (11-7) before losing its Patriot District opener to Lake Braddock 10-4 on Friday. The Wolverines will travel to face Woodson at 7:15 p.m. on March 31.
<b>Mount Vernon Soccer Starts 4-0</b>
The Mount Vernon boys soccer team defeated Marshall 1-0 on March 28, improving its record to 4-0. The Majors won their National District opener against Wakefield 2-0 on March 24. Ruben Alvarez and Bryon Castellon scored goals against the Warriors, while Castellon and Aldaid Rodriguez each had an assist.
Mount Vernon will travel to face Centreville at 7 p.m. at April 1.
<b>Mount Vernon Girls Earn Tie</b>
The Mount Vernon girls soccer team played to a 1-1 tie against Marshall on March 28 after the Majors started the season 0-2. The Majors will host Centreville at 7 p.m. on April 1.
<b>Mount Vernon Softball Starts 2-2</b>
The Mount Vernon softball team challenged National District power Yorktown on March 28, but fell short, losing 1-0 in 8 innings.
The Majors opened the season with a 10-0 loss to West Potomac, but bounced back with wins over Washington-Lee (5-3) and Stuart (16-3).
Mount Vernon will host Falls Church at 7 p.m. on April 1.
<b>MV Boys Lax Starts 2-3</b>
The Mount Vernon boys lacrosse team lost to Madison 9-2 on March 29 and Centreville 17-1 on March 26. After losing their season opener to South County (8-5) on March 17, the Majors bounced back with wins over Wakefield (18-0) on March 22 and Woodbridge (8-7) on March 25 in overtime.
<b>Pantherlon 5K Is April 30</b>
The 22nd annual Carl Sandburg Pantherlon 5K Run and 1 mile Fun Run/Walk will be held at 8 a.m. on April 30 at Carl Sandburg Middle School, located at 8428 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria.
This year’s race will feature professional runners and coaches offering free 20-minute clinics before both the 5K and 1 mile fun run to all registered kindergarten through eighth-grade runners. Topics will include proper stretching, warm-up techniques, race form and race strategy, each targeted to the various age groups. After the race, runners and families may visit kiosks manned by many of the D.C.-area running clubs and running stores to discuss nutrition, find age appropriate follow-up races and ask questions.
For more information, contact Rebecca Bostick at 703-768-2250 or rbarch@mindspring.com.
<b>Sports Updates On Twitter</b>
Follow sports editor Jon Roetman on Twitter at @jonroetman for sports updates around Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Md.